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In recent months, a video from an Indian travel influencer expressing frustration over the limited power of the Indian passport gained massive traction across digital platforms.

He mentioned although neighbouring countries such as Sri Lanka and Bhutan offered easier access to Indian tourists, securing travel permits for visiting most Western and European countries continued to be difficult.

Such concerns regarding the limited global access of Indian passports was reflected in the latest Henley Passport Index, ranking the country in the 85th spot among 199 countries, five spots lower compared to the previous year.

Officials in India has not commented regarding these findings yet.

Countries including Rwanda, Ghana and Azerbaijan despite smaller economic size compared to India – a nation that is the fifth-largest economy globally – hold better positions on the index in the seventies range, respectively.

Actually, India's rank in the past decade has remained in the 80s, even dipping to ninetieth place two years ago. These rankings appear poor compared to other Asian countries like Singapore, Japan and South Korea, all maintaining top positions.

What Passport Strength Indicates

The power of a passport indicates a nation's soft power and global influence. This leads to enhanced travel freedom for its citizens, improving commercial and educational prospects. A weak passport results in additional documentation, higher visa costs, fewer travel privileges and extended processing periods when journeying.

However, even with the drop in position, the number of countries providing visa-free travel for Indian citizens has grown in the past decade or so.

As an instance, in 2014 – when Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) assumed office – fifty-two nations offered visa-free access for Indian passport holders and its passport ranked 76th on the index.

The following year, it fell to the 85th position, then improved to 80th over the past two years, declining once more to the 85th position this year. At the same time, visa-free destinations to Indian citizens grew from 52 in 2015 to sixty last year and 62 in 2024.

The Competitive Global Mobility Landscape

The number of visa-free destinations this year (57) is higher than the number eight years ago (fifty-two), yet India's rank for both these years remains at eighty-fifth. What explains this situation?

Analysts note that a primary factor is the increasingly competitive landscape in international travel – indicating that countries are forming additional travel agreements to benefit their citizens and their economies. As per recent analysis, the worldwide mean count of countries people can visit visa-free has nearly doubled from fifty-eight nineteen years ago to 109 in 2025.

As an illustration, China has expanded its count of visa-free destinations its citizens can travel to from 50 to 82 over the last ten years. Consequently, its rank on the index has enhanced from 94th to 60th in that same duration.

Meanwhile, India – which was ranked 77th on the index during summer – dropped to eighty-fifth place in October following the loss to two countries.

Other Influences Impacting Passport Power

An ex-diplomat from India says multiple elements influencing the strength of a country's passport, including its economic and political stability plus its receptiveness to accepting travelers from abroad.

For instance, the American passport has fallen of the top 10 currently holding the 12th position – a historic low – due to its more inward-looking approach in world politics.

The former ambassador recalls how in the 1970s, Indian citizens had visa-free access to numerous European and Western nations, but that changed after the Sikh separatist movement during the eighties. Subsequent political upheavals have continued to damage the country's reputation as a stable democracy.

"Numerous nations are growing increasingly wary of immigrants," he stated. "The country possesses a high number of citizens emigrating to other countries or overstaying their visas affecting the country's reputation."

Elements like how secure a country's passport is and its immigration procedures also play a role in gaining visa-free access to foreign nations.

Enhanced Security Measures

India's passport faces ongoing security threats. In 2024, law enforcement arrested over two hundred individuals for suspected passport and visa irregularities. The country also has cumbersome immigration procedures with lengthy timelines of visa processing.

The diplomat says that technological advances, like India's recently-launched electronic passport or e-passport, may enhance safety and streamline immigration. The e-passport includes a microchip that stores biometric data, making it harder to forge or tamper with the passport.

But, more diplomatic outreach and travel partnerships remain key for enhancing international travel freedom of Indians and consequently, the Indian passport's global position.